Method of assembling radiator elements



METHOD 4OF ASSEMBLI'NG wRADIATOR ELEMENTS v Filed April '21, 1928 2 Sheelas-Sheei'. 1

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED s'mrus.y

.` ARTHUR C. WALWORTH, OF NE'WTGN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T() THE VULGAN PATENT vorifice RADIATOR COMPANY, 0F HARTFORD, CGNNECIJG'U'L, A CORPORATON OF CON- NECTIGUT Applicationvfnea April a1,

This invention relates to the manufacture of radiator tubes or similar heat exchange elements of the type comprising a tube` hav- .ing fixed thereon in spaced parallel relation a series of perforated plates constituting heatradiating or absorbing fins or flanges. More particularly the invention relates to the assembly of .the fins or plates on the tube of such an element in proper spaced parallel position and their retention in such position untilthey are secured to the tube. The invention has for its object to provide a method whereby these operations may be conveniently, efficiently and economically performed in the commercial quantity production of elements of this character with a minimum amount of manual labor and skilled attention, and without the necessity of employing spacing projections on the plates or permanent spacing sleeves on the tubes, such as, in many instances, have heretofore been required.

The more particular objects of the invention, together with means whereby the latter may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of a preferred mode of practicing the same by means of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood however that the vparticular constructions, arrangements and j operations hereinafter described have been chosen for purposes of exemplification merely, and that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise practiced without departure from the'spirit andy scope thereof.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary and somewhat diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus-by means of which the invention may be lconveniently practiced.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective vView of one of the interchangeable spacer containers.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the fins or plates. i

Fig. 4 is a face view of one of the spacers.

Fig. 5 is an end View thereof partially f broken away.

METHOD OF ASSEMBLG RADIATOR' ELEMENTS 1928. Serial No. 271,950.

Figgisa detail section on line 6-G,` Fig. f

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal Sectionalview of the tube with the fins and spacers thereon, illustratingthe expansion of the tube.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the fully eX- panded tube, showing the spacers collapsed.

Fig. 9vis a section on the line 9-,9, Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Figs. 7 and 8, illustrating the withdrawal of the attached fins and the collapsed spacers from one another. 1

As shown in Fig. 1, the apparatus includes a punch press for stamping out perforated fins orV plates 15, which may be of the fiat form shown in Fig. 3, Vwithout spacing projections or ianges but with a ,central perforation 15a. Said punch press may comprise a'lower die 16 `carried by a suitable support or kpedestal 14 and a cooperating punchv or upper die 17 carried by a ram 18 which is operated by an eccentric 19 carried by a driving shaft 2O to which power may be: applied in any suitable manner. Within the punch 17 maybe provides` a second vinner punch 13 cooperating with a die opening 12 in the pedestal 14 to form the openings 15a, said punch 13 being operated of any form and'arrangement suitable for 1 1` the purpose described.

The lower die 16 is slotted to receive a reciprocating feed slide or lejector 21 operated by'a cam 22 which is driven through a belt or chain 23 from .suitable ulle or s arcclet on the driving shaft 20, it being understood that the parts are so timed that when the ram 18 rises the slide 21 will be advanced to eject the formed plate 15 from the the pedestal le is a sup )ly container 26 for a plurality of spacers 2f disposed insuper- '-11 posed relation therein and adapted to be fed in succession therefrom into a chute 28 by a reciprocating feed slide 29 operated by a cam 30 which is driven by a belt or chain 31 from a second pulley or sprocket on the shaft 20. The operating connections, including the belts or chains 23'and 31 and the cams 22 and 30, are so arranged as to cause the plates 15 and spacers 27 to be fed into the chutes 24 and 28 respectively in alternation.

The plates and spacers thus alternately fed through the chutes 24 and 28 are received in superposcd relation in a vsecond or receiving container 26 substantially similar to and interchangeable with the supply container 26 above referred to. As shown most clearly in yF ig. 2, each of said containers comprises side walls 32 closing two opposite sides of the container, a side wall partly closing a third side but formed withV a slot 34 and an end wall 35 partly closing one end of the container, the fourth side of said container and the opposite end being open, and the end wall 35 having a notch 37 extending inwardly from the edge of said wall adjacent said open side to approximately the center thereof.

The receiving container 26 is suitably supported, as upon a base 38, in a position to receive the plates and spacers from the chutes 24 and 28, it being understood that said container is supported with its open end uppermost. If desired, the base38 'may `be arranged also to support a tube 39, saidtube being disposed in upright position axially of the container 26, extending through the notch 37 in the bottom end 85 of the latter, and being provided with a detachable pointed guide tip 40 to facilitate the feeding of the perforated plates thereover. The spacers are formed with open notches 44 and are preferably fed laterally upon the tube so as to cause the notches to embrace the tube. In some instances, if preferred, the plates and spacers may be fed into the otherwise empty container, andthe tube thereafter inserted through the notch 37 in the container and the perforations laand notches 44 of the alternating plates and spacers of the set or stack so assembled, instead of assembling said set or stack upon the tube. Y

As shown, suitable jarring mechanismV 41 detachably connected with an ear 42 on the receiving container 26 and actuated by a belt 43 from a third pulley on the shaft 2O is provided to insure the settling of the separate plates and spacers into proper superposed relation in the container 26.

In order to insure the delivery of plates and spacers in alternation, and the consequent alternate arrangement of the plates and spacers in the resulting set or stack, the delivery of the spacers is ypreferably controlled by the delivery of the plates. As shown, the chute 28 is provided7 adjacent its delivery end, with an oscillating escapement device 45 of any suitable or Well known form adapted at each oscillation to release one spacer from said chute.

Said escapement device is connected by a link 46 with a pivoted feeler or trigger member 47 comprising a bell crank having one arm connected to the link 46 and the other arm normally held by a spring 48 in a slightly elevated position in the chute 24.-

vWhen a plate 15 is ejected by the feed slide 21 into the chute 24, said plate, in passing over said last-named arm of the feeler, depresses the latter and thereby actuates the escapement member 45 to release one spacer from the end of the chute 28. Shouldvthe delivery of the plates be in any manner interrupted, as by the failure to supply stock to the blanking-out mechanism, the escapement mechanism will not be operated, and no spacer will be delivered from the chute 28, the spacers fed from the supply container y26 by the feed slide 29 merely accumulating in said chute.

The lspacers 27 are of expansible and collapsible form, preferably within variable limits, to vary their effective maximum-and minimum thickness. As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, each spacer comprises a pair of parallel plates 49connected by relatively movable wedge members 50l and 51, the wedge members 50 being rigidly secured to or formed integral with one of the pla-tes, and the wedge members 51 having a dove-tailed connection 52 with the wedge members 50 and sliding onthe'latter and on theV other plate. i Y -1 As shown, four sets of cooperative wedge members 5() and 51 are employed, the movable wedge members 51 of each set being les connected in pairs by toggle links 53, and Y each pair of toggle links being connected by links 54 with a pin 55 cooperating with a cam 56 pivoted at 57 to one of the plates and having an operating handle or member 58 projecting from between the plates, preferably at the side of the spacer opposite the notch' 44. v j

The separation of the plates149 is controlled by limiting devices connecting said plates, four of saiddevices being preferably employed, and each comprising two adjustably telescopingmembers v59 and` 60 in threaded engagement with one another and having heads 61 received incountersunlr recesses 62 in the outer faces ofthe plates. The separation of the plates, and consequently the effective maximum thickness of the spacer, is limited by the seatingof the heads 61 in the bottoms of the recesses 62 and is determined bythe length of the limiting devicesA When-the 'spacer is collapsed, the heads 61 move outwardly in the recesses 62 until their outer facesV are flush with the outer faces of the plates 49, which .determines the effective minimunr thickness yof the spacci' since, while the plates may be free to approach one another further, the limiting devices Would, in such case, project beyond the faces of the 'plates and themselves constitute spacing elements. therefore be seen that, by turning the members 60 in the members 59, the length ofthe limiting devices can be adjustedto vary the limits between which the spacer is expanded and collapsed. As shown, the heads 6l are slotted to receive a suitable tool whereby this adjustment can be conveniently effected.

The spacers 27 are received in each container 26 with their several operating members 58 in alignment and projecting through the slot 34 in the container, this relative rangement being preserved in the transfer ofthe spacers fromV the supply container to the receiving container, whereby all of said operating members mayA be actuated simultaneously, as hereinafter further explained, to expand or collapse all of the spacers in thev container in unison. The spacers are held in the supply container' in their expanded condition and are transferred therefrom into the receiving container in this condition', whereby the spacing ofthe plates or fins is determined by the adjusted effective maximum thickness of the spacers.

When a complete set or stack of alternate plates and spacers has been built up in the receiving container, as above described, said j receiving container, with said plates or spacers therein, together with the tube 39 (which, as above explained, may have been placed initially in the container or may have been inserted after the formation of the set or stack of plates and spacers), is removed from the support 38 and placed, with its slotted side 33 downward and its open side upward, on a suitable table 63 (Fig. 7) having a groove or slot 64 to receive the aligned operating members 58. The container may then be secured against longitudinal movement by means of clamps 65 secured to the table, and the tube 39 expanded to fix the fins or plates thereon in the spaced relation j in which they are held bythe spacers. This may conveniently be done by forcing an expander 66 through the tube, as more fully explained in the Bergstrom Patent, No. 1,646,384, dated October 25, 1927, or otherwise as may be preferred.

After the fins or plates have been secured to the tube by whatsoever means may be employed for this purpose, vthe clamps 65 are released and the members 58 of the several spacers operated to collapse all of said spacers in unison. This, in the apparatus shown, may conveniently be done by a lateral movement of the container on t-he table 63, whereby engagement of said members with one Wall of the slot 64 causes them to It will be' moved from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9 into the position shown in full lines therein.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 8, the eollapseof thel spacers releases them from the plates 15, so that said spacers and plates may beV withdrawn from between one another by afrelative lateral movement, as by lifting the tube 39 with the plates fixed thereon from the container 26 through the open side of the latter, as shown in Fig. 10, the notch 37 in the container and the notches 44 in the spacers permittingv this movement.

The spacers, which remain in the container after the tube with its attached plates has been lifted therefrom, are then expanded in unison, as by a lateral movement of thecontainer on the table 63 from the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 9 to that indicated in dotted lines therein, and the lcontainer with the expanded spacers therein thereafter placed in position in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 to serve as a supply container from which the spacers are fed iny building up another' set or stack of alternate spacers and plates, as already described. Iny this way each of the interchangeable containers is used alternately as a receiving container to receive spacers from ay supply container and, after being filled With plates and spacers, and after the plates have been Withdrawn, as a supply container to replace thevformer supply container when the latter has been emptied of spacers, said emptied container beingthen placed in position to serve as a receiving container. The apparatus above described for practicing the invention is not claimed herein, being coveredY by theV claims of ardivisional applicationv filed November 20, 1929, Serial No. 408,450.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The hereindescribed method of assembling fins or plates in spacedrelation on radiator tubes and the like by the use of collapsible and expansible spacers, said method including expanding the spacers, forming aset or stack of alternating superposed plates and expanded spacers, holding said plates. in the spaced'relation determined by said spacers and while so held securing them to a'radiator'tube, collapsing the spacers, and withdrawing the collapsed spacers laterally from between the plates.

2. The hereindescribed method of assembling fins orplates in spaced relation on radiator tubes and the likey by the use of collapsible and expansible spacers, said methodV including expanding the spacers, forming a set or stack of alternating superposed plates andexpanded spacers, holding said plates in the spaced relation determined bysaid spacers and while so held securing them to' a radiator tube, collapsing the spacers, and withdrawing all of the collapsed spacers in unison laterally from be'- tween the plates.

3. The hereindescribed method of making radiator elements and the like which 1includes assembling perforated fins or plates on a tube in alternation with expansible and collapsible spacers, the latter being in expanded condition, expanding the tube to ix the fins or plates thereon in the spaced relation determined by said spacers, collapsing the spacers, and withdrawing the collapsed spacers laterally from between the lates. v

p 4. The hereindescribed method of assembling perforated ns or plates inspaced relation on a radiator tube or the like by the use of separate spacers having open notches in their edges, said method including supporting the tube in upright position, feeding the plates over the end of the tube so as to cause the latter to pass through the perforations in said plates, and feeding the spacers in alternation with .the plates laterally upon the tube so as to cause the notches to embrace the tube.

5. The hereindescribed method of assembling fins or plates in spaced relation on radiator tubes and the like by the use of collapsible and expansible spacers, said method including expanding Vall of the spacers in unison, forming a set or stack of alterna-ting superposed plates and expanded spacers, holding said plates in the spaced relation determined by said spacers and while so held securing them to a radiator tube, collapsing all of the spacers Iin unison, and withdrawing the collapsed spacers laterally from betweenthe plates.

6. The hereindescribed method of asp sembling fins or plates in spaced relation for attachment to a radiator tube or the like, said method including feeding the plates and separate spacers alternately into superposed position and controlling the feed of each spacer bythe movement toward said position of the next adjacent plate.

7. The hereindescribed method of assembling fins or plates in spaced relation for attachment to a radiator tube or the like, said method including feeding separate spacers, in alternation with the plates, from a supply containerl into superposed relation in a similar interchangeable receiving container, withdrawing the spaced pla-tes laterally from said last-named container while leaving the spacers therein, and replacing the supply container, when emptied of spacers, by a spacer-filled receiving container from which the plates havebeen withdrawn.

8. The hereindescribed method of assembling ins or plates in spaced relation on a radiator tube or the like, which method includes feeding the plates in alternation with separate spacers into superposed position to form a stack wherein said plates are held in spaced relation by said spacers, securing said plates while so held to the tube, and withdrawing the spacers laterally from be'- tween the plates.

9. The hereindescribed method of assembling fins or plates in spaced relation on a radiator tube or the like, by the use of collapsible and expansible spacers, said method including expanding the spacers, feeding the plates in alternation with the spacers into superposed position to forma stack wherein said plates are held in spaced relation by said spacers, securing said plates while so held to the tube, collapsing the spacers, and withdrawing the collapsed spacers laterally from between the plates.

10. The hereindescribed method of making radiator elements and the like by the use of collapsible and expansible spacers, said method including expanding the spacers, feeding the plates in alternation with the expanded spacers upon atube, securing the plates, while held in spaced relation by said spacers, to the tube, collapsing the spacers, a-nd withdrawing the collapsed spacers laterally from between the plates.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. a

ARTHUR C. WALXVORTH. 

